Martin dismissed the protesters’ request for a meeting, claiming they did not represent any official industry group and accused them of attempting to coerce the government. He warned that it would set a risky precedent, especially after the government had reduced taxes on petrol and diesel by 15 cents and 20 cents per liter the previous month.
“The government, any government, cannot be coerced in this way,” Martin stated, highlighting that the protesters were unwilling to reopen O’Connell Street unless they could enter his Government Buildings office.
“Everyone would start doing that weekly,” he predicted. “The method to secure a meeting now [would be] simply to bring in some trucks, obstruct highways, block city centers, and demand immediate discussions.”
The center-right government’s choice to refuse a meeting with the protesters and dispatch the army instead faced criticism from opposition leaders from various political backgrounds. The main opposition Sinn Féin party, advocating for greater reductions in fuel taxes, is urging parliament to be reconvened from its three-week Easter break.
Significantly, the Irish Defence Forces possess a mixed fleet of Swedish and Italian heavy-lift trucks capable of transporting heavy armored vehicles. These trucks are expected to be used to remove the protesters’ vehicles from the roads if they refuse to move them voluntarily.
Justice Minister O’Callaghan stated that any truckers or farmers failing to comply with police orders “should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.”
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